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Maria A Natoli

Ball Four

The Final Pitch

By:
Jim Bouton

Narrated by:
Jim Bouton

Length: 18 hrs and 28 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
870

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
779

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
777

When
Ball Four was published in 1970, it created a firestorm. Bouton was called a Judas, a Benedict Arnold and a “social leper” for having violated the “sanctity of the clubhouse.” Baseball commissioner Bowie Kuhn tried to force Bouton to sign a statement saying the book wasn’t true. Ballplayers, most of whom hadn’t read it, denounced the book. It was even banned by a few libraries. Almost everyone else, however, loved
Ball Four.

Three Ten Year Updates Give Bouton a 5th Star

Fun and moving read, listen actually

Overall

5 out of 5 stars

Performance

5 out of 5 stars

Story

5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 07-19-19

Read Ball Four shortly after it was originally released as a twenty something year old. In light of Jim Bouton’s recent death I decided to give it a listen as a 63 year old. I’m so glad I did and now have a better appreciation of the original book and the man himself! Very well done, I listened or devoured over 23 hours of the book in less in a weeks time. Also a good time to listen to it, baseball is in full swing and the Yankees are in the thick of the pennant race and as Aaron Boone stated last night “the Yankee hitters are savages”. Wouldn’t be surprised if Jim Bouton is looking down and chuckling to himself about Boone’s one game suspension 😁